1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ganging devices for interconnecting a pair of chairs placed side by side.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chairs used in convention halls, auditoriums, banquet halls and other facilities often need to be arranged into rows, often on a temporary basis. It is sometimes desirable to arrange interlocking chairs into straight rows, which may be referred to as “ganging” the chairs. It is known to provide ganging devices or ganger brackets for interlocking each chair with its immediately adjacent neighboring chair or chairs. Ganger brackets typically take the form of some type of hook extending from one side of the chair and a corresponding engagement loop or surface on the opposite side of the chair. Two identical chairs may be interlocked by engaging the hook portion of one chair with the loop or surface of its neighboring chair.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,469 to Caruso et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,168 to Piretti et al. disclose interconnecting chairs with ganging devices. Both teach a ganging device including a hook and a loop disposed on opposite sides of a chair. The chairs are interconnected in a side-by-side relationship by engaging the hook of one chair under the loop of another chair. Accordingly, it is difficult to remove a chair with a neighboring chair to its left and right because the hook and loop obstruct the ability of the chair to be lifted from its engaged position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,530 to Gutgsell discloses an interconnecting chair with a ganging device. The ganging device is a bracket with a pivot end and a ganging end. The pivoting end is pivotable clipped to the underside of a chair and is pivoted upward such that the ganging end engages a leg member of a similarly equipped chair. Though Gutgsell teaches that the chair interconnected with chairs to its left and right is able to be removed therefrom individually, Gutgsell requires the use of a moving part to do so. Thus over time, the moving part is susceptible to wear and increase the manufacturing cost of the chair relative to the configurations taught in Caruso et al. and Piretti et al. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a chair capable of being interconnected with other like chairs whereby the removal of a chair interconnected with chairs on both sides is done easily and without the manufacturing costs and potential wearing of a part that is associated with Gutgsell.